The Impact of Obesity on the Reliability of Serum Ferritin in Evaluating Iron Stores Among Young Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study investigated the impact of obesity on the reliability of serum ferritin as an indicator of iron stores among 103 young, supplement-free female medical students in Misurata, Libya. The findings revealed that serum ferritin levels were significantly higher in overweight or obese individuals compared to those who were underweight, suggesting that ferritin levels may be influenced by obesity-related inflammation rather than actual iron sufficiency. Despite variations in ferritin levels, there were no significant differences in fatigue, hair loss, menstrual bleeding severity, or dietary iron scores across different ferritin statuses. The study concludes that relying solely on ferritin to assess iron status in individuals with high BMI could lead to misdiagnosis of iron deficiency, as ferritin may not accurately reflect true iron stores in the presence of obesity.